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Oh, Grant, I have never seen this beautiful flowers! Thank you for sharing this specimen.

I am starting a new garden at 6,500 feet elevation, Gallup, NM. A new and exciting adventure. I'm impatient waiting to plant until this week, since freezing weather can visit as late as the second week in June. The up side, is the area has a long growing season into the fall.

So far, this has been a traveling and hosting summer, so my gardens are suffering. Luckily, the variety of Alliums (onion, garlic, chive and leek) are still hanging in there. The Mary Washington asparagus, the hot peppers and woody herbs are also alive, though not thriving as in years past.

Today, under cloud cover and cooler temperatures, I was able to prepare most of my containers for fall planting. Perhaps such work is a little early, but with such inviting weather, I just couldn't help myself. I had to work in the gardens. We had some rain, which was wonderful and refreshing while working.

There were a few new visitors to the garden, which I am not please to find. The first is a corkscrew shelled snail. I gathered more than 50 this evening and set out a dish of salted beer in a saucer. That did the trick when we lived in Rockville, Maryland, I hope it will work here. I also found a potato beetle with the orange thorax and dark grey abdomen. I was removing the expired tomato plants and there he was...RIP There was a bright green colored praying mantis about 2 inches long also in the garden today. There were a few lace wings and lady bugs, so I hope the rose bush "A Perfect Moment" will be well protected from aphids.

Thank you for the photos, Grant. They are beautiful and inspiring as always.

My 75 gal. rain barrel was full as well as the swimming pool, we had to drain 3" out of it this morning to give the cantilever exposure. We have already had some more rain this morning. No need to irrigate the trees this week. My containers are all doing fine, luckily the drainage system is working nicely in all. I wonder if the tomato plants will perk up and thrive and have a fresh start for fall gardening.

Note: Southwest Gardeners is offering Art of Alliums on October 6th. Check it out.

Thank you for the photo, Grant. As always, your photos and explanations are inspiring. I have never seen this plant. It reminds me of a matt-leafed holly.

My plumeria has leaves only 3" long. I planted Quinalt strawberries at the base, and everyone seems to be happy. My doberman sniffs the strawberry fruit, but never tastes. She is such a good garden companion. Yesterday, she and I picked the last of the early peach crop. I gave her a peach and she loved eating it, but will not pick them. Now, apples are a different story, she has one apple freshly picked from the tree each morning. Anna and Dorset apple trees do well in our little Gilbert orchard of 4 trees, 2 apple and 2 peach.

Irrigation yesterday was a test of how much water we could drink to remain hydrated. Eating anything was not an option, we were far too full of water.

Thank you for the encouragement, Grant. The large leafed plant with the portulaca is Japanese "Ichiban" eggplant. There are flat leafed Italian parsley and lemon balm in the photo. At the back, the left side in the photo, is white vinca with a small touch of red in the center. I like the pink colors with the trough, too.

I'm learning how to plant vegetables and use flowering plants to add a pop of color. So far, vinca and portulaca seem to be the most adaptable to the summer heat close to the edge of the trough.

The weather channel predicts 109 degrees on Sunday. I'm not ready for the extreme heat yet! The tomatoes will surely stop flowering, signalling the end of the tomato harvest once the fruit set, ripens. This is my 7th summer gardening in troughs, so I have some tricks up my sleeve, so to speak.

In memory of those who have passed, may your Memorial Day be filled with precious memories.

Here are a couple of photos of Karen's Memorial Trough Garden, in honor of my dear friend. Everything is luscious, as if watched over by an angel. I found my morning watering and photographing this garden filled with wonderful memories of my dear friend.

"Yes, this season extended fall into holidays here. I just put my canna lilies away in the garage today after freezing last nite. I won't know how they managed until spring, but some will live. So sorry your rhododendron died. I got the fuchsias…"